Shariah-compliant airport framework at KL International Airport

Abstract

Most studies investigating the concept of shariah compliancy seemed to have focused on commercial and economic perspectives within the context of tourism industries. The steady flow of Muslim tourists into Malaysia has increased the demand for shariah-compliant features at prominent gateways such as airports. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) appears to have a great potential to extensively incorporate elements of shariah principles in its main operations, and to lead the ever­growing shariah-compliant industries at the global scale. As the theory of structure and basic nature of shariah compliance is still at an embryonic stage, this research explores and strengthens the structure that falls under the concept of shariah compliancy for airport passenger terminal. Hence, this study proposes a framework for a shariah-compliant airport to cater to passengers of different faiths. Data was collected at KLIA. Data collection comprises a survey with 524 passengers of different faiths, focus group interview with 8 airport personnel, and 8 independent observers to validate the proposed framework. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, structural equation modelling (SEM) and categorization. The combination of quantitative and qualitative data which used in this research gave multiple assessments to develop the framework. The airport terminal framework was developed based on the 12 Islamic attributes that are in adherence to shariah principles: The 12 Islamic attributes are grouped into 6 elements of the following; restaurant and eatery facilities, retail facilities, washroom, security services, Muslim prayer room and airport environment. In addition, the findings showed that non­Muslim respondents were supportive of the prospect of having a shariah-compliant airport. The proposed framework offers a balance approach from the Islamic stance for different faiths. The concepts proposed meet the expectations of Muslim travellers, while satisfying the fundamental needs for travellers of different faiths.